hiking AZ trails » Hiking in Arizona

Family Hike At Hassayampa River Preserve Wickenburg Arizona

The Hiker — Sun, 25 Mar 2012 22:36:28 +0000

On Saturday morning you can take your family for an easy hike along the Hassayampa River near Wickenburg AZ.
This will be a guided hike led by a docent from the river preserve and will last about an hour and a half. You’ll have a chance to see several different bird species, javelinas and perhaps a few foxes along the way. You’ll see just how much damage the floods along the river can do to the trees and underbrush and the shore line. The whole family will enjoy the walk along the river and you’ll have lots of great picture taking opportunities on the hike.

Wickenburg is only a half an hour northwest of Phoenix on highway 60 but you need to be there before 8:30 on Saturday morning so you can join the group. Watch for the sign for The Hassayampa River Preserve on the west side of the road.

Take along a picnic lunch and enjoy the outing close by the Hassayampa River this Saturday.

Hiking The White Tank Mountains and Waterfall Trail

The Hiker — Tue, 24 Jan 2012 18:27:42 +0000

< The White Tank Mountain Regional Park, Waddell, Arizona, is one of the most popular and heavily used parks in the Regional Park System. You’ll be amazed by opportunities for hiking and biking, the nature trails, camping, horse back riding, mountains, hieroglyphics, birds, dry waterfall canyon, children’s playgrounds, picnic ramadas, handicap trails, trees, washes, Indian artifacts, and interesting rock formations found throughout the area. The park at over 29,000 acres is the largest of the Maricopa County parks. White Tank Mountain Regional Park offers approximately 22 miles of excellent shared-use trails. The hiking trails range from easy to difficult. There are handicapped accessible trails available in the park which makes the park all the more user friendly.

Mountains

The range, often referred to as simply the White Tanks, is a moderate sized mountain range whose peaks rise to an elevation of around 4,000 feet (1,219 m). The Park has both mountain and desert environments and includes most of the White Tank Mountain range. Two handicapped accessible trails at White Tank Mountain Regional Park allow visitors in wheelchairs to take in the splendors of the area as well as visit Petroglyph Plaza. During seasonal heavy rainfall, accumulated water tends to rush rapidly through the steep canyons, over time scouring out a number of depressions or “tanks” in the white granite near the base of the mountains. These white “tanks” are the source of the mountains’ name.

Trails

The Waterfall Trail is in the White Tank Mountain Regional Park and is a popular place for family hiking. The trail will take you past Petroglyph Plaza, where you will find some 1,000-year-old petriglyphs on giant boulders, symbols left behind by the Hohokam Indians who inhabited the mountains until about 1100.

The range, deeply serrated with ridges and canyons, rises sharply from its base to peak at over 4,000 feet and provides wonderful opportunities for hiking on established trails and includes facilities for picnicking throughout the park. There are about 22 miles of hiking and biking trails at all levels of difficulty. The White Tank Mountains Park does not have a trail to the top, and they discourage people from ‘visiting the towers’ with mild threats that it is patrolled by law enforcement. Horseback and mountain bike riders are welcomed, although caution is stressed as some of the trails may be extremely difficult.

With so many amenities, this is a park that receives many visitors in the cooler times of the year. You’ll find people of all ages on the hiking trails and many of them will have their family pets along for the day. As with any hiking in the desert Southwest regions of the U.S. you must be careful to drink plenty of water. The air is so dry that you don’t even notice that your body is loosing moisture at a rate that is much faster than usual. Be sure to bring drinking water in containers that you can carry along with you as you explore this beautiful mountainous park.

Jere Moline has recently retired and now resides in Sun City Arizona. He loves traveling and has taken up hiking some of the trails located in the Desert Southwest. For great videos and information on hiking in the Phoenix area go to http://www.coppertrailstowncarservice.biz.

Doe Mountain Trail In Sedona

The Hiker — Wed, 03 Nov 2010 04:21:10 +0000

Its only a ninety mile drive from Phoenix but the hiking trail up to the top of Doe Mountain might as well be a thousand miles away. The terrain is like nothing in Phoenix and the trail zigzags back and forth up the side of Doe Mountain for an elevation gain of 400 feet. When you reach the flat top of the mesa it can be a little windy but the views are worth a little blowing sand. We recently took some family members and friends to the top for an afternoon picnic and we had a wonderful time. It took less than an hour to gain the top of the mesa as the moderate trail is only about three quarters of a mile long. On top of the mesa there is a marked trail to help make sure you don’t have any trouble finding your way back to the hiking trail on the side of the mountain. Be sure to wear sturdy shoes, take plenty of drinking water and a camera is an essential piece of your gear. http://bit.ly/cP4kMl

Wind Cave Trail in Usery Mountain Park

The Hiker — Thu, 30 Sep 2010 06:33:23 +0000

Wind Cave Trail is located to the east of Mesa about half an hour from central Phoenix. Usery Mountain Park has many facilities available and you’ll even find a first class archery range there. There is plenty of parking at the trailhead. The trail has an elevation gain of about 800 feet and is 3.5 miles roundtrip. Click the link below to see the video I made a few days ago

Wind Cave Trail in Usery Mountain Park

Under Tonto Natural Bridge Near Payson AZ

The Hiker — Mon, 05 Jul 2010 19:26:02 +0000

There are several trails in the state park that are about one half mile in length. The longest trail will take you along the Pine Creek bottom and will take about one hour. All trails are strenuous and can be very slippery. It is very important that you do not attempt to swim in the water under the bridge. It is very cold and is full of minerals. That makes the water heavy and difficult to swim in.

This area is very scenic and you should plan to spend several hours and have a picnic in the covered ramada. There are restrooms available and a store where you can purchase souveniers and some picnic items. Pets are not allowed on the trails.
The park is usually open in the summer months from 8am to 7 pm and is located about 12 miles north of Payson.

Learn About Hiking Clubs In Arizona

The Hiker — Sat, 24 Apr 2010 21:55:31 +0000

Arizona Outdoor and Travel Club
Arizona Outdoor and Travel Club (AOTC) is a nonprofit outdoor club based in Phoenix. The club organizes hikes, bike rides, camping and 4×4 off-road travel trips, mostly in the Phoenix area. Outdoor adventurists can join AOTC as a member for a small yearly fee or contribute a limited amount to join in on any of the open activities.

Arizona Outdoor and Travel Club
P.O. Box 5465
Scottsdale, AZ 85261
www.azotc.com

Backcountry Hiking Club
The Backcountry Hiking Club is a volunteer-run organization. Members lead groups on hikes in the Phoenix area as well as greater Arizona, typically over the weekends. Hikes generally range anywhere between five and 13 miles and have varying elevation changes and levels of difficulty. The group leaders are from all walks of life: young, old, single, married, men and women. The hikes are open to all, though not usually designed for children.

www.backcountryhikingclub.org
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Kay Hammer has been a freelance writer since 2009. She has a B.S. in Retailing and Consumer Sciences from the University of Arizona and an M.A. in Environmental Leadership from Naropa University. She has written for various publications through school such as the Turning Leaf and Demand Studios such as Golf Link.